For everyone who doesnt like it, just play it on the scheduled release time and ignore it.
Is this really hard? I think its great that Valve is seriously boosting these indie game developers. A lot of them definatly need the cash to make more great games for us all to enjoy. I dont see written anywhere that any particular person has to participate. Personally I am not participating but I am definately enjoying watching everything from the sidelines.
People may say that decipering all that crap wasnt worth it. But thats the very nature of the ARGs the portal team has done in the past. Usually very difficult puzzles, that one or two people will figure out. But once one or two people figure it out the solution gets posted on the internet for everyone to enjoy. To me, finding a solution was the reward, the whole early release thing here is just icing.
Sure for those one and two people that time spent wasn't worth it for just them, but they participated in something that thousands of people enjoyed. So it was time well spent. If you dont want to do it, dont do it. Its perfectly fine in this case to reap the work of others.
Draygo on
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AthenorBattle Hardened OptimistThe Skies of HiigaraRegistered Userregular
I think the best part of this is that I don't think that Valve could have pulled this off with major developers. Inserting this kind of content into the existing games, over so many games, required the kind of agility that only the small indie teams are capable of. Especially because those teams are also not generally hobbled by the same legal restrictions that say, a major developer indebted to a publisher might be.
I would also argue that Dejobaan's games were in no way the hardest. AaaaaAAAaa and TWEOTW were both completely doable with minor effort. 123 kickit was bullshit though, no lie. For my money, Cogs had the hardest potatoes to score. The final puzzle requires 70 correct moves in less than 45 seconds. There is no way I'd have been able to do that without help.
Well that's because sliding block puzzles are the Devil's greeting card.
Yes, I'm looking at you, Layton and the Diabolical Box! *shakes fist* Only puzzle I've ever had to look up the solution on in that game was the very, VERY last evil sliding block puzzle.
[I think it's a case of people just wanting to be mad at Valve. Similar to the announcement of L4D2 and all that. Nowadays I have no clue what content is for L4D and L4D2, and I've gotten quite a bit of enjoyment out of both of them, so.. meh. People just need an evil empire, some windmill to chase.
I wasn't really bothered by L4D2 personally. And it's not like I've started "Boycott Portal 2 4ever" for a Facebook group. I will just expect Valve to over promise and under deliver on promotions in the future unless they are explicit as to what is happening.
Valve just is the wrong company for that.
They certainly aren't perfect. They've banned people for terrible reasons, their micropayments are really macropayments, they lied through their teeth about HL2. I think in general they make good games, but they certainly don't deserve to be treated as special.
"omg the bars are moving faster now after noon then 6am-noon, so we activated star power"
"really? You dont think it's just more people playing games now then earlier?"
"STAR POWER, ASSHOLE"
Seriously, the confirmation bias in this thread is excruciating.
DiannaoChong on
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AthenorBattle Hardened OptimistThe Skies of HiigaraRegistered Userregular
edited April 2011
They've delivered quality content consistently and for free after initial purchase, and are helping to shift the market away from the publisher-ruled mindset by providing a vehicle for indy developers. That alone is enough to make them special to me.
Lied through their teeth about Half-life 2? Care to explain that one? (I agree that VAC's had issues, but then again so has every anti-cheating platform on the internet.)
"omg the bars are moving faster now after noon then 6am-noon, so we activated star power"
"really? You dont think it's just more people playing games now then earlier?"
"STAR POWER, ASSHOLE"
Seriously, the confirmation bias in this thread is excruciating.
Is that at me?
Dark Raven X on
Oh brilliant
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AthenorBattle Hardened OptimistThe Skies of HiigaraRegistered Userregular
I don't understand how people get angry over getting 13 games for a value price, ARG content for fun, Exclusive content for a game should they preorder it or have it later...
Its kind of like L4d2 all over again. "How dare they release a game a year later!".
I think the biggest mistake Valve made was to hint at the 4/15 early release date during the ARG. The reason people are disappointed with this is because it was looking like we were going to get the game for the weekend, and instead that date was just the start of the final "test" which it turns out will take days and result in the game coming out less than a day early. If they had never given a date or that countdown, people would be happier to find out about any kind of early release.
Zek on
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Casually HardcoreOnce an Asshole. Trying to be better.Registered Userregular
I think the biggest mistake Valve made was to hint at the 4/15 early release date during the ARG. The reason people are disappointed with this is because it was looking like we were going to get the game for the weekend, and instead that date was just the start of the final "test" which it turns out will take days and result in the game coming out less than a day early. If they had never given a date or that countdown, people would be happier to find out about any kind of early release.
Yea, and it still looks like we are getting Portal 2 earlier than we would have otherwise. Maybe not that much earlier, but there are people playing on console who might not have it until later than tuesday.
I mean I got the Potato Sack when it was just out. I was like, holy shit, awesome games for an awesome price ( and ive been playing the hell out of all of them, prior to knowing anything about the ARG ).
Then i find out, hey! You get Portal 2 content. WOOHOO!!!
Then i find out there is like this down the rabbit hole ARG and suddenly all the games have glados stuff in them? WOW. Its even better.
Sure the early release thing isnt the greatest. But everything there has been so far out of this potato sack has been terrific.
Hell, Killing Floor is like 100x creepier with Glados as the trader. That alone is an awesome bonus.
"omg the bars are moving faster now after noon then 6am-noon, so we activated star power"
"really? You dont think it's just more people playing games now then earlier?"
"STAR POWER, ASSHOLE"
Seriously, the confirmation bias in this thread is excruciating.
Is that at me?
No idea, it's alot of people, including not on this forum. I am just venting and being a jerk.
I disagree, this is probably one of the most interesting and enjoyable marketing strategies in quite some time.
I'm kinda dismayed at all the people in the mindset of 'They wasted my time!' - it doesn't make a lick of sense why anyone should feel that way. Any reasons someone will give for that logic would probably just sound like some prevalent entitlement nonsense going around these days.
My reasons are simple: If you say you are going to do something, do it, and to a reasonable extent. Valve suggested we'd be eating cake, and we got a few crumbs instead.
Also, the "it's entitlement, hurr, hurr," dog won't hunt when paying customers are involved. Plenty of people want to argue against their own interests and defend whatever misleading nonsense companies try to pull these days, but they are wrong.
You're a fucking idiot.
[tiny]infraction two ahoy![/tiny]
LittleBoots on
Tofu wrote: Here be Littleboots, destroyer of threads and master of drunkposting.
Does anybody have any tips for Bit.Trip.Beat's Descent Potato? It's starting to irritate me. Its just about the only potato I need and I hate having to waste 15 minutes just to fail. Someone who's done it give me some advice here.
In case you're not already playing on easy, doing so makes it significantly easier.
Cogs done! I never have to play fucking Cogs again! No game is worth playing Cogs. Not even Cogs.
I love sliding block puzzles. I suck at them, but I find them fascinating; ever since The Castle of Doctor Brain. Creating a version that requires solving anywhere from 2-6, sometimes mutually exclusive, puzzles was a wonderful move.
Tamin on
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AthenorBattle Hardened OptimistThe Skies of HiigaraRegistered Userregular
Well to register it on steam(for the multi) you would have to have a legitimate code. and since they haven't cracked their key system I dont think theres much to worry about.
I've purchased a bunch of indie games for an insane low price, most of which are awesome games I would have never played otherwise like AAAAAAAAAHHH! and Cogs (I like Cogs).
I then continually discovered, over the course of a few weeks or so, that not only was I getting an awesome deal on indie games, but I was also getting awesome bonus content for alot of those games. Bonus!
And then I discovered I might be getting awesome bonus content for a huge game thats just about to come out. Double Bonus!
Then I'm told that just playing these awesome games I've bought might make this huge awesome game release early. Triple Bonus!
Then I go to the internet and find out a bunch of people are actually annoyed at Valve for doing this kind of awesome shit. I guess because, while being above and beyond most other pre-release promotional stunts for games, and actually being active and fun to participate in and read about, AND giving huge promotions for indie devs, it's just not awesome enough, because goddamnit in our heads it sounded like Portal 2s release would be earlier than early. (Which is already ridiculous considering other retailers are selling the game and now have to offer insane deals and gift cards to make it worth not buying it from Steam.)
And for this, Valve is evil, and has disrespected their playerbase.
Stay classy, internet!
SickwithJustice on
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NappuccinoSurveyor of Things and StuffRegistered Userregular
I've purchased a bunch of indie games for an insane low price, most of which are awesome games I would have never played otherwise like AAAAAAAAAHHH! and Cogs (I like Cogs).
I then continually discovered, over the course of a few weeks or so, that not only was I getting an awesome deal on indie games, but I was also getting awesome bonus content for alot of those games. Bonus!
And then I discovered I might be getting awesome bonus content for a huge game thats just about to come out. Double Bonus!
Then I'm told that just playing these awesome games I've bought might make this huge awesome game release early. Triple Bonus!
Then I go to the internet and find out a bunch of people are actually annoyed at Valve for doing this kind of awesome shit. I guess because, while being above and beyond most other pre-release promotional stunts for games, and actually being active and fun to participate in and read about, AND giving huge promotions for indie devs, it's just not awesome enough, because goddamnit in our heads it sounded like Portal 2s release would be earlier than early. (Which is already ridiculous considering other retailers are selling the game and now have to offer insane deals and gift cards to make it worth not buying it from Steam.)
And for this, Valve is evil, and has disrespected their playerbase.
well, when you think about it, they could of just released the game instead of doing the arg. It's been done for a month(at least). instead they developed an arg(best case scenario it was in paralel so theres no delays caused by it), that in the end helps line their pockets further by selling a bunch of indie games.
Keep in mind, you pay for the arg. it comes out of your money when you buy a valve game.
DiannaoChong on
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Casually HardcoreOnce an Asshole. Trying to be better.Registered Userregular
well, when you think about it, they could of just released the game instead of doing the arg. It's been done for a month(at least). instead they developed an arg(best case scenario it was in paralel so theres no delays caused by it), that in the end helps line their pockets further by selling a bunch of indie games.
Keep in mind, you pay for the arg. it comes out of your money when you buy a valve game.
Yes, we all pay for all marketing. Just like we pay for TF2's updates by...
... wait, how have we paid for them?
The game may have been done a month ago, but that is because you have to print, manufacture, and ship disks from -somewhere-. And that supply chain has lead times. And the ARG started being developed months ago.
(Edit: Forgive my use of false equivalence! But the hats/updates are totally there to get more people to buy TF2. If they weren't successful they'd charge for them.)
I've purchased a bunch of indie games for an insane low price, most of which are awesome games I would have never played otherwise like AAAAAAAAAHHH! and Cogs (I like Cogs).
I then continually discovered, over the course of a few weeks or so, that not only was I getting an awesome deal on indie games, but I was also getting awesome bonus content for alot of those games. Bonus!
And then I discovered I might be getting awesome bonus content for a huge game thats just about to come out. Double Bonus!
Then I'm told that just playing these awesome games I've bought might make this huge awesome game release early. Triple Bonus!
Then I go to the internet and find out a bunch of people are actually annoyed at Valve for doing this kind of awesome shit. I guess because, while being above and beyond most other pre-release promotional stunts for games, and actually being active and fun to participate in and read about, AND giving huge promotions for indie devs, it's just not awesome enough, because goddamnit in our heads it sounded like Portal 2s release would be earlier than early. (Which is already ridiculous considering other retailers are selling the game and now have to offer insane deals and gift cards to make it worth not buying it from Steam.)
And for this, Valve is evil, and has disrespected their playerbase.
Stay classy, internet!
Well said.
jonxp on
Every time you write parallel fifths, Bach kills a kitten.
3DS Friend Code: 2707-1614-5576 PAX Prime 2014 Buttoneering!
I think my only real complaint is that 4-6 hours early isn't early. It's me getting to play it at the same exact time as I would have without putting effort into the ARG, because I work for a living.
well, when you think about it, they could of just released the game instead of doing the arg. It's been done for a month(at least). instead they developed an arg(best case scenario it was in paralel so theres no delays caused by it), that in the end helps line their pockets further by selling a bunch of indie games.
Keep in mind, you pay for the arg. it comes out of your money when you buy a valve game.
Just because the game was finished a month ago doesn't mean they could release it that day. Valve makes multi-platform games. They need to be able to make disks.
I feel like people are taking this whole thing a little too seriously. Valve likes to support indie games. They make a little thing where playing indie games makes the PC version come out a bit early. Its not a big deal and I doubt that if they didn't develop the arg that it would have come out earlier.
Foolish Chaos on
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NappuccinoSurveyor of Things and StuffRegistered Userregular
well, when you think about it, they could of just released the game instead of doing the arg. It's been done for a month(at least). instead they developed an arg(best case scenario it was in paralel so theres no delays caused by it), that in the end helps line their pockets further by selling a bunch of indie games.
Keep in mind, you pay for the arg. it comes out of your money when you buy a valve game.
Where would the fun in that be?
Hell, developers should have the game gold a month in advance so that they can have enough production to ship out. Its good business sense.
I think my only real complaint is that 4-6 hours early isn't early. It's me getting to play it at the same exact time as I would have without putting effort into the ARG, because I work for a living.
No one's denying that such is a misstep, from what I see. Again, I think Valve just mis-calculated.
I do like the prospect that the ARG isn't ending with GlaDOS coming online....
Also, Bit Trip's bar went up about as much as Toki Tori's did. And it was a noticable jump over 5-10 minutes. so there's that.
well, when you think about it, they could of just released the game instead of doing the arg. It's been done for a month(at least). instead they developed an arg(best case scenario it was in paralel so theres no delays caused by it), that in the end helps line their pockets further by selling a bunch of indie games.
Keep in mind, you pay for the arg. it comes out of your money when you buy a valve game.
Yes, we all pay for all marketing. Just like we pay for TF2's updates by...
... wait, how have we paid for them?
I don't know. Oh wait. they opened a fucking hat store.
Posts
Is this really hard? I think its great that Valve is seriously boosting these indie game developers. A lot of them definatly need the cash to make more great games for us all to enjoy. I dont see written anywhere that any particular person has to participate. Personally I am not participating but I am definately enjoying watching everything from the sidelines.
People may say that decipering all that crap wasnt worth it. But thats the very nature of the ARGs the portal team has done in the past. Usually very difficult puzzles, that one or two people will figure out. But once one or two people figure it out the solution gets posted on the internet for everyone to enjoy. To me, finding a solution was the reward, the whole early release thing here is just icing.
Sure for those one and two people that time spent wasn't worth it for just them, but they participated in something that thousands of people enjoyed. So it was time well spent. If you dont want to do it, dont do it. Its perfectly fine in this case to reap the work of others.
Well that's because sliding block puzzles are the Devil's greeting card.
Yes, I'm looking at you, Layton and the Diabolical Box! *shakes fist* Only puzzle I've ever had to look up the solution on in that game was the very, VERY last evil sliding block puzzle.
Well, DDS2 makes the wait much easier. Some domestic abuser piece of shit stole my copy back in the day though.
I wasn't really bothered by L4D2 personally. And it's not like I've started "Boycott Portal 2 4ever" for a Facebook group. I will just expect Valve to over promise and under deliver on promotions in the future unless they are explicit as to what is happening.
They certainly aren't perfect. They've banned people for terrible reasons, their micropayments are really macropayments, they lied through their teeth about HL2. I think in general they make good games, but they certainly don't deserve to be treated as special.
"really? You dont think it's just more people playing games now then earlier?"
"STAR POWER, ASSHOLE"
Seriously, the confirmation bias in this thread is excruciating.
Lied through their teeth about Half-life 2? Care to explain that one? (I agree that VAC's had issues, but then again so has every anti-cheating platform on the internet.)
PSN: Alien-Six
Steam: Alien Six
Is that at me?
Good. Stupid.. flying.. propeller.. boxes.. grr.. RAGE!
Its kind of like L4d2 all over again. "How dare they release a game a year later!".
I just don't get it.
Portal 2 for $18?
Yes, please.
More details, NOW!
At this price, this game will be a day one purchase.
Yea, and it still looks like we are getting Portal 2 earlier than we would have otherwise. Maybe not that much earlier, but there are people playing on console who might not have it until later than tuesday.
I mean I got the Potato Sack when it was just out. I was like, holy shit, awesome games for an awesome price ( and ive been playing the hell out of all of them, prior to knowing anything about the ARG ).
Then i find out, hey! You get Portal 2 content. WOOHOO!!!
Then i find out there is like this down the rabbit hole ARG and suddenly all the games have glados stuff in them? WOW. Its even better.
Sure the early release thing isnt the greatest. But everything there has been so far out of this potato sack has been terrific.
Hell, Killing Floor is like 100x creepier with Glados as the trader. That alone is an awesome bonus.
edit: The timer's now at 40 hours, so we've knocked 8 hours off the start time or so, right? Or more/less than that.. how big of a chunk did Cogs do?
No idea, it's alot of people, including not on this forum. I am just venting and being a jerk.
You're a fucking idiot.
[tiny]infraction two ahoy![/tiny]
Tofu wrote: Here be Littleboots, destroyer of threads and master of drunkposting.
In case you're not already playing on easy, doing so makes it significantly easier.
We've knocked off a bit over 4 hours off the timer...
Xfire: lordgravewish
Steam: LordGravewish
The "GLaDOS textual output" shows the default countdown. The difference is just 4 hours and 3 minutes.
Too bad the PC players weren't taking part in the Console's ARG. A good portion of them have already unlocked the game.
I love sliding block puzzles. I suck at them, but I find them fascinating; ever since The Castle of Doctor Brain. Creating a version that requires solving anywhere from 2-6, sometimes mutually exclusive, puzzles was a wonderful move.
I wonder if Steamworks integration means Valve has a way to check if people have illegal copies, and from there can shut down the game...
I then continually discovered, over the course of a few weeks or so, that not only was I getting an awesome deal on indie games, but I was also getting awesome bonus content for alot of those games. Bonus!
And then I discovered I might be getting awesome bonus content for a huge game thats just about to come out. Double Bonus!
Then I'm told that just playing these awesome games I've bought might make this huge awesome game release early. Triple Bonus!
Then I go to the internet and find out a bunch of people are actually annoyed at Valve for doing this kind of awesome shit. I guess because, while being above and beyond most other pre-release promotional stunts for games, and actually being active and fun to participate in and read about, AND giving huge promotions for indie devs, it's just not awesome enough, because goddamnit in our heads it sounded like Portal 2s release would be earlier than early. (Which is already ridiculous considering other retailers are selling the game and now have to offer insane deals and gift cards to make it worth not buying it from Steam.)
And for this, Valve is evil, and has disrespected their playerbase.
Stay classy, internet!
allllll of this
Keep in mind, you pay for the arg. it comes out of your money when you buy a valve game.
The freaking demo gave me nightmares. This is a game I'm going to buy once I get a nice pair of headphones, and time to play it.
Yes, we all pay for all marketing. Just like we pay for TF2's updates by...
... wait, how have we paid for them?
The game may have been done a month ago, but that is because you have to print, manufacture, and ship disks from -somewhere-. And that supply chain has lead times. And the ARG started being developed months ago.
(Edit: Forgive my use of false equivalence! But the hats/updates are totally there to get more people to buy TF2. If they weren't successful they'd charge for them.)
Well said.
3DS Friend Code: 2707-1614-5576
PAX Prime 2014 Buttoneering!
Just because the game was finished a month ago doesn't mean they could release it that day. Valve makes multi-platform games. They need to be able to make disks.
I feel like people are taking this whole thing a little too seriously. Valve likes to support indie games. They make a little thing where playing indie games makes the PC version come out a bit early. Its not a big deal and I doubt that if they didn't develop the arg that it would have come out earlier.
Where would the fun in that be?
Hell, developers should have the game gold a month in advance so that they can have enough production to ship out. Its good business sense.
No one's denying that such is a misstep, from what I see. Again, I think Valve just mis-calculated.
I do like the prospect that the ARG isn't ending with GlaDOS coming online....
Also, Bit Trip's bar went up about as much as Toki Tori's did. And it was a noticable jump over 5-10 minutes. so there's that.
I don't know. Oh wait. they opened a fucking hat store.